Natural hazards · Galva

Galva, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Galva comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Galva?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Galva to be higher than in 44% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding30%Tornadoes26%Drought13%Hail13%Cold waves9%Strong wind5%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Galva faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

30% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 49% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

26% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Drought

13% of expected damage

Recorded about 13 times a year in the area

Hail

13% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Cold waves

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Strong wind

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

Ice stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Galva flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Galva.

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Galva isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Ida County.

Disasters that hit Galva

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Galva itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Galva.

Brought FEMA money into GalvaDeclared for Ida County only

2013

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$5K to the City of Galva for repairs

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

1 household applied for aid

2009

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorm

$1K to the City of Galva for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

4 households applied for aid $6K aid approved

Ida County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Galva is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Galva’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Galva. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.

Galva, IA natural hazards

How exposed is Galva?

What Galva faces

Inland flooding

Tornadoes

Drought

Hail

Cold waves

Strong wind

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Galva flood?

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorm

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

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